Miami Beach Police Arrest Alleged Serial Arsonist

A Miami-Dade judge has ruled that Joel Paul Williams, 33, is not fit to stand trial. Williams is charged him with arson in relation to a wave of fires that struck vacant buildings on Miami Beach.(Source: Miami Beach Police)

MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) – Miami Beach Police have made an arrest related to the recent wave of fires that have struck several buildings on Miami Beach, and they say the man has an extensive criminal record.

Miami Beach Police arrested Joel Paul Williams, 33, and charged him with two counts of arson, carrying a concealed weapon, and burglary.

Police Chief Carlos Noriega said “We have taken a very dangerous individual off the street. The citizens have reason to feel safer today.”

Police have connected Williams to at least two of twelve fires on Miami Beach since Feb. 10th, however, they believe he’s connected to more, if not all of them.

Noriega said investigators believe Williams may have been the arsonist responsible for all the fires.

“There are commonalities between the fires…and that’s why he’s a person of interest,” he said.

Police say he was on the scene of the most recent fire on Wednesday night at 1817 James Avenue where an historic building burned. Police had apparently seen Williams in prior videotape on the scene of other fires. Police did not say where the video came from.

Police say Williams graduated from torching vacant buildings when he set a hallway fire in an occupied apartment building early Wednesday morning. The small fire was quickly extinguished, but caused residents to be evacuated.

“I smelled smoke and I came downstairs because the firefighters said ‘get out of your house,'” resident Jennifer Maumier said.

After spotting him on the scene of the James Avenue fire, police followed him and eventually stopped him for questioning. That’s when a specially trained dog alerted to an accelerant on his pants and shoes.

Williams has been charged with the fire on James Avenue and a smaller blaze in the hallway of a small occupied apartment building. More charges could be filed against Williams in connection to the other fires.

Williams is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law. CBS4’s Gio Benitez uncovered that Williams has a lengthy arrest record in the state of Washington.

Noriega said Williams is a “hardened criminal” with an extensive record, but declined to detail his arrest history.

Williams was in the state for just five years and was arrested and booked 32 times. He has eleven convictions for theft, unlawful use of a weapon, criminal trespass in the first degree, property destruction, and unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon.

On Feb. 9th, a fire charred the vacant Tyler Apartments located at 420 21st Street.

Monday, the vacant Collins Plaza Hotel at 318 20th Street went up in flames in the city’s Collins Park neighborhood. That was followed by a blaze on Tuesday night at the former Copley Terrace Apartments located at 435 20th Street.

City manager Jorge Gonzalez cautioned, though, that citizens should keep their guard up.

“We urge all of our community, all of our residents and visitors to remain vigilant,” Gonzalez said.

The arrest of a suspect brought relief to a beach community terrorized by eight days of confligration.

“We were all worried, waking up in the middle of the night with the fire trucks running by. We couldn’t sleep,” said Kedar Sukdanker who lives across James Avenue from the building that burned Wednesday night. “We were worried about what was going on in the neighborhood.”

Now they need to check who paid him to burn all those buildings because i think someone else is also behind all these fires the guy dont look like no BUM he is clean cut i am sure he is connected with others who are the ones really behind the properties these old buildings were an eyesore to somebody else but he will talk most likely unless his life is threatened by those same identities that paid him they need to find out where he lived how he lived if he had a car money and all those things and pressure him alot he will spill the beans im sure

I’m sorry, where does this article say he was a cop? I’m assuming that’s what you meant by “pig”. I’m pretty sure the only mention of cops is during the part where they mention how he was ARRESTED by them. hmmmm

To Karani comment; You refer to cops are pigs. If it was your place, how would you feel?. If he is not the sole person behind the fires, you could be next. When U need the police, would U call them out of their names then.

Now its up to the Judge to make sure this man stay off the streets for a very long time. The Police lock them up and most cases the lawyer and judges let them out on the street again to do the same thing over again. Congrad to the MB Police Dept.

Nice haircut and shave for a homeless dude. I also read he flew back into Miami
just before the fires. Homeless jetsetter? I hope they’re still investigating weather or not this guy was paid to start these fires!